We often hear a lot about soft skills vs hard skills today. What’s the difference and how do they apply to the nursing profession? Both are required for nurses to provide quality care to patients. They are also very different by definition. Soft skills are basically innate personality traits such as interpersonal (people) skills and behaviors. Soft skills are very difficult to learn or to perfect. Hard skills are learned skills and often defined as specific abilities and skills that enable a person to excel in a profession. Nurses need to have strong communication skills, work well with others and be a good team member. Nurses should be flexible and…
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New Grad Nurse Season
Although nurses graduate each term, May and June remain known for new grad nurse season. Congratulations to all the new grads whether you be total newbies or seasoned nurses with a higher education degree. Welcome to the nursing family You are all so very needed! For the newbies, the NCLEX is next for RN’s and LPN/LVNs. Time to hit the books again. My best advice for this has always been to join a study group. It worked well for me and I’ve always encouraged it. Each person picks a topic or specialty and after great research, presents it to the group. There are many great study guides available and if…
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Nurses Month is Approaching – Nudge Your Manager Now
Nurses Month is approaching rapidly now. The tradition of Nurses Day (May 6) and Nurses Week (May 6-12) has expanded into a month-long celebration during the pandemic and it seems to be sticking. The official American Nurses Association theme for 2023 is You Make a Difference. There will be weekly focus areas during the May celebration of nurses. The focus areas are: May 1-7 : Self-Care May 8-14: Recognition May 15-21: Professional Development May 22-31: Community Engagement Download your own copy of the ANA assets, templates and plans for Nurses Month 2023 to use in your own Nurses Month celebration. Recognition is Priceless Recognition is one of the focuses for…
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Underfunded Programs Are Affecting Our Society: Is There A Way To Make A Change?
By Brent Tucker, Founder and Owner — First Responder’s Coffee Company When I retired from the service as a Green Beret and Delta Force Operator, friends called on me to help them train SWAT teams all over the country. Through them, I started to get involved in training law enforcement as well. It was through these training sessions that I experienced firsthand the impact that underfunded programs have on our society, especially when it comes to first responders. These men and women risk their lives every day to protect and serve our communities, yet many struggle to get the resources they need to do their jobs effectively. The problem: lack…
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The Art of Delegation in Nursing
Have you learned the art of delegation in nursing? Or are you quickly burning out and constantly staying late to chart and complete tasks because you feel it’s faster and easier if you do it all yourself? Delegation is an art and a science. You need to understand how and when to do it, but sometimes it’s essential and you need to practice before it gets that desperate. Admittedly, most nurses are overachievers and asking for help can be perceived as a weakness or even a failure. You might also feel like you’ve not met your goals, or lived up to your ideal of perfect if you ask someone to…